What a dreary day!!! – Good day to cook

- BILLS – Paid what I could the rest will get done!
- WEIGHT – Fatso that I am got my but on the treadmill, ever since I moved to the Miami, I did not get the Sexy South Beach Look, I got the Fatso Beached Whale Look!!!!!!! Need to get my but moving. Got on the Treadmill. Did 45 minutes.

and now it’s time to take care of my personal side – the SOUL! What is the best thing for the soul – FOOD – Actually cooking!!!! As many of my friends know and those of you that participate in EGTV (www.everydayguy.tv) will learn, I love to cook!

My favourite thing to do is “Clean out ” the refrigerator – some of you may have the same issue I have, live with someone that buys vegetables and never cooks them (or over cooks them). So part of today’s menu is just that! Let’s see Mushrooms, Onions, Celery, Apples, Feta Cheese, Bacon, Chicken, Lettuce, Apple Juice, Garlic

What can I make?

- Soup
Take 4 stalks of Celery, half a onion (prefer spanish), one Apple, 2 strips of Bacon – Slice them thin. Put it in a soup pot with with Olive Oil, a pinch of salt, pepper to taste (I like it) and assorted herbs (use fresh if you have them, if not, dried) – used oregano, basil and sage. – plus a dash of nutmeg.

let them sautee in the pot for about 5-10 minutes on med-high heat don’t let burn just soften, add 1/4 stick of butter and now the mushrooms sliced. Give it about another 5 minutes. Constantly stirring, add olive oil, if necessary so not to burn. If you have it, take a potato masher and mash everything together. Stir in 1/4 cup of flour (or I like arrowroot). It will look like a thick paste, dark roux!

Now add one bay leaf, and liquid – if you are chique and have a stock (beef, chicken or vegetable) add it to cover, should be ttwice the size of the rough, (I don’t know – guestimate it!!!) cover, on low-medium heat for 30 minutes. When it comes to a boil, turn off the heat, stir in a half a cup of milk (or heavy cream is better but more fattening).

We are almost done. You can serve it like this or – I like to take my scoop and take out any remaining solids plus half the liquid put it in a blender and blend it.

Add it back to the remaining soup. You have a great soup for a chilly, dreary day. Note – if you have a little Truffle, Chive or Chili oil – it will go well on top.

Serve with croutons, toast or even your favorite grated cheese!

- Chicken Stuffed Mushrooms.

This is a pretty easy dish.

Heat a Non-Stick Pan that you can put in an Oven and cover. (Preheat oven to 375)

Take the Chicken (breast) and butterfly it (sliced). Season with salt, pepper, allspice (or nutmeg).
take the sliced mushroom, feta cheese chop coarsely together. Stuff breast. Close. take 3 – 4 strips of bacon and wrap.

Olive oil in pan. Place the breast in pan. Let them brown on each side. Let the bacon seal of the breast and get brown. Now add the Garlic and a cup of Apple Juice to the pan. Cover it. Put it in the oven. 15-30 minutes. You should be GOOD!

Take it out.

Remove from the liquid. Let sit.

Prepare plate with Lettuce, (great if you could slice some onions and tomatoes).

Slice breast on a diagonal. Serve on top of lettuce.

Now I feel better!!!!!!!!!!!